Co-writers/producers Robert & Steven-Charles Jaffe, plus co-stars Paul Linke, Monique St. Pierre & Rosanne Katon in person! Complete with an infamous dueling chainsaw showdown, Cheers regular John Ratzenberger and scratchy-voiced radio legend Wolfman Jack, Motel Hell remains an engaging cult oddity that yearns for new blood. Vincent (western star Rory Calhoun) and his sister run the charming Motel Hello, along with a popular smoked meat product line: “It takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent’s fritters.” Of course, said critters include people unlucky enough to get planted up to their necks in the motel’s garden — fattening up until they’re prime sausage material. A real surprise at the dawn of the slasher era, Motel Hell first grabbed attention when its disturbing image of a maniac in a bloody pig mask wielding a chainsaw landed on the cover of Fangoria, causing the issue to get pulled from stands. Many assumed it was another Tobe Hooper-esque variation, but it’s really one of the most twisted black-comedy horror films in mainstream American cinema, closest in spirit to fare like Parents and Eating Raoul. Real juicy fun, with a curtain-dropping line of dialogue for the ages.
Dir. Kevin Connor, 1980, 35mm, 102 min.